Anil Dave, the New Environment Minister, May Not Be All He Seems 

Conservationist. Environmentalist. These are the words used to describe the new Minister of Environment, Anil Madhav Dave.

At first glance, these titles make sense. Unlike Prakash Javadekar, his predecessor, Dave has a history of being involved in environmental issues. He led conservation efforts along the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh, the state he represents. He also wrote a book about climate change, called Beyond Copenhagen.

Many Delhi-based environmental activists and lawyers are hopeful that Dave's past could signify a shift in policies in a more environment-friendly direction. Journalists from Madhya Pradesh disagree, however, calling his ‘conservationist' tag a misnomer.

Anil Dave's new stint as Environment Minister, his first time in a ministerial role, will reveal whether he chooses to carve his own path, or follows in the footsteps of Javadekar.

Environment Ministry's Pro-Business Past

Under Javadekar, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) was criticised for taking a pro-business stance that often weakened and undermined existing environmental protection laws.

For example, the recently proposed wetlands regulation draft does away with any explicit descriptions of activities that are banned on wetlands and weakens wetland protection measures.

Also Read: Our Wetlands Under Threat: Diluted Rules Could Spell Disaster

Wetlands are important not only for the biodiversity they hold, but also for human beings. They help prevent flooding and can act as water filtration systems. Construction on wetlands was one of the reasons flooding in December 2015 was so bad in Chennai.

Javadekar was also known for giving environmental clearances to polluting industries, including waiving a Rs 200 crore fine levied against Adani for causing environmental damage while constructing a port in Gujarat.

Anil Dave's Sketchy Credentials

Dave will have a clean slate with which to begin his work as Environment Minister, but his past may not be as green as he has implied. Multiple journalists working in Madhya Pradesh say they are unable to identify concrete conservation work undertaken by him, apart from his ties to a Narmada conservation organisation.

At the same time, his previous work in government does not always reflect climate-friendly policy, despite having written a book on the subject.

Dave was head of a committee to look into the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill in 2015 – a bill which Mines, Minerals & People, an organisation working to defend the rights of people living near coal reserves, says has facilitated the auctioning off of coal mines to major companies. The new auctioning process has no transparency and does not appropriately ensure safeguards for affected communities, the group added.

A New Era?

In the coming months, Dave will have to make decisions about issues related to air pollution, river conservation, river linking, and climate change.

Environmentalists plan to keep a close eye on his actions.